There is a trend to move toward minimally invasive surgical procedures that allow the patient to recover faster. Faster recoveries are associated with less time in post anesthesia and other care units, which can translate to a lower cost of patient care.
Many such minimally invasive surgical procedures are performed laparoscopically through multiple access ports formed in the abdomen (e.g., a trans-abdominal approach). At least one access port is formed to provide access for a camera that allows visualization of the internal organs, and at least one access port is formed to provide surgical tools with access to the internal organs. However, it is often the case that the organ selected for surgical intervention will have a surface that is oriented away from the camera such that the surgeon has an imperfect view of the complete organ.
Surgeons would welcome a new device for manipulating the orientation of internal organs to provide a better view and access to all surfaces of the organ.